Page 5 of The Brothers at Horseshoe Ranch

“Five bucks.”

“Really?” I looked surprised as I opened my wallet. “Just five?”

“Where are you from? Five is quite a lot, isn’t it?”

“I’m from New York City. I live in Brooklyn, or I guess I lived in Brooklyn. You can’t get a rum and coke for $5. Maybe $15, if you’re lucky. And that’s at the …” I let my voice trail off as I realized the two guys were staring at me. “Well, anyway, good deal.”

“Put your money away.” Austin pulled out his wallet. “I got it.”

“Oh no, you can’t buy my drink.” I shook my head. “You don’t even know me.”

“Well, I’m getting to know you.” He put a twenty-dollar bill on the bar and gave me a wry smile. “So, are you going to tell us more about your in-laws?”

I tried not to stare at him too hard, but he was by far one of the best-looking men I’d ever seen in my life. He had that rugged look that made you think of a real man. I was so used to metrosexual men in New York that I’d almost forgotten how alpha some men could be.

“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing. I haven’t actually met them yet.” I grabbed my glass and ran my finger along the rim nervously before taking a sip.

“Oh, so you’ve come to meet your boyfriend’s parents? Is that it?” The bartender said as he handed me a small bowl of nuts.

“You could say that.”

“So, your boyfriend, he lives in New York, but he’s from Montana. Is that it?”

“Well, no … He’s from Montana and he’s always lived in Montana.”

“Then how’d you meet him?” Austin leaned towards me.

I paused. I really didn’t want to tell them that I hadn’t met him yet. “Well, you know, online …” I smiled and fluffed my hair. “But it’s a long story. I’m kind of looking for his parents’ ranch, though. Maybe you guys could help me out?

“Your boyfriend couldn’t come and pick you up?” Austin said, raising an eyebrow. “What sort of man is that?”

“He was busy working on the ranch today.” I dropped my gaze from his bright green eyes to his juicy lips to his chest, trying to ignore the stirring in my belly as I studied his muscles.

“Okay,” Austin shrugged. “Huh.”

“I mean, it’s not bad. He really loves me and everything, but …” I paused. I didn’t know why I was lying. “He was busy, and I told him it was okay, but I kind of lost the address, so maybe you guys could help me out?”

“You lost the address to your boyfriend’s ranch?” Austin looked incredulous. “Why don’t you call him and ask him for the address again?”

“Well, I kind of lost his number because …” I knew I sounded like a hot mess. “He recently changed his phone and I didn’t update the number in my phone, and I actually broke my phone and I had to get a new one, and I lost all the numbers.” I knew I was talking way too much and that it was probably very clear I was lying. “You know how it goes.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a bit of a problem there, miss,” the bartender said. “What was your name?”

“Lucy.” I gave him a bright smile. “So if you could tell me where Horseshoe Ranch is, I’d be much obliged.”

“Horseshoe Ranch?” The bartender started laughing. “Really?” He looked over Austin. “You hear that, Austin? She’s going to meet her in-laws at Horseshoe Ranch. What did you say the name of your boyfriend was again, ma’am?”

“Yes,” Austin said quietly, “what’s the name of your boyfriend that lives at Horseshoe Ranch?”

“Oh, do you guys know where it is? Thank God. I was scared that I wasn’t going to be able to get there, and well, my boyfriend would be very nervous and worried. He would most likely call the police, and maybe the FBI would get involved. I’d be all over the news, and I’d look like such a fool, you know?”

“Uh-huh,” Austin said with a smirk. “And your boyfriend’s name is?”

“Well, funny story,” I said, not wanting to admit that I had no idea of the name of the man I was going to marry.

His parents hadn’t wanted to tell me, and I wasn’t sure why. They said everything would be explained once I arrived, and I mean, yes, it had been weird, but it wasn’t any weirder than moving to another state to marry a man you’d never met. I’d needed a way out of my life in New York and … Shit, I’d watched so many movies and read so many books where women had made big moves and found love that I figured what could go wrong? I mean, if I didn’t like him and if he didn’t like me, I would just go back to Manhattan. The parents seemed nice in the emails.

I chewed on my lower lip. If it had been the parents I’d been speaking to … I prayed to God I wasn’t walking into some sort of situation that would have me on a show like Criminal Minds or Law and Order SVU. What if I hadn’t even been speaking to his parents?

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